Bootcamp Fitness KC

My inbox runithover, so when I received a copy of Sarah’s latest release I gave it one of my favorite Paleo cooks, coach and head of the household Kelley Colby.  

Kelley leads one of my groups 5 times a week at 5:00 am and still manages to prepare healthy meals for her family.  I knew I would like the book but I wanted a review from a mom working the frontline.  Thanks Kelley !

by Kelley Colby

I have both of Sarah Fragoso’s Everyday Paleo cookbooks. She has tackled the somewhat overwhelming idea of changing your family’s eating habits. She is living it and now shares her experience in a simple and straight forward plan for families.

Sarah begins with The Basics explaining Paleo eating and follows up with Getting Started. The Getting Started section is my favorite for families. I think it is always helpful to be reminded to slow down and simplify. We all go go go and what many young families need is time together.

The next few chapters from Understanding Kids to the One-Week Meal Plan and Budget Guide make eating Paleo a reality for any family determined to live a healthier lifestyle. This book is an amazing resource and inspiration.

I have tried several recipes and can’t wait to try more. The sauce section alone is a reason to buy this book! The recipes are easy to follow and modify if needed…I usually leave some particular spice out for a picky kid. Each page offers insightful tips in the Something Extra box with suggestions for meal planning or recipe variations.

I should confess that when I meet Ashley Tudor I was a tad nonplussed about another book on diet.  Part of if has to do with my cynical attitude (blame Barry Sears and all my money he got)  and the other being that our intro took place during the surprise birthday celebration for The Paleo Solution Diet author Robb Wolf.  Certainly good company and terrific street credit, it’s not a place for a topic like nutrition especially when the Casadores was flowing like water.

When my copy arrived the first thing that struck me was the esthetic appeal of the book. In an age of hardcover, paperback and now e-books, a title might die from a lack of street appeal. Your eyes are drawn to the covers color and the interesting subtitle of smart carbs.  I liked the handy size.  It opens & lays flat should it’s owner wish to have it in the kitchen for easy reference during meal preparation.

Ashley and her editors have done a splendid job with the graphs and illustrations.  They not only thoroughly explain some difficult topics they are appealing to the eye!  Here are a few of my favorite graph and illustration pages. 42-43, 51, 82, 107, 117, 130, 180. This is the more scientific stuff kids, the recipe sections is equally good!

What I did expect when I opened Chapter 9 was to find some new ways to Sweet Potato my world.  Ashley did not disappoint.  I’ve used sweet potatoes in my arsenal for awhile but never with this much creativity. Each recipe and photo surrenders nothing to Bon Appetit. Each week I’m repeating the Sweet Potato Gratin Stackers.  They are super easy and portable!  While I like my greens the sweet potato, and there are a number of varieties, has been elevated to a new level of respect. It’s a “smart carb”.

Self monitoring and self testing is an emerging trend today.  Ashley challenges all of us to go the extra step and find out exactly how we are reacting to foods with the use of  glucometer, ketones strips & biomarkers from lab work.  Here’s a take away folks.  While there are some general statements that can be made regarding foods, everyone will react differently to macro nutrient consumption. As an example. Fasting may NOT be what YOUR body needs!  It may in fact elevate your insulin and your cortisol to deleterious levels.  Only with self testing will you know. She presents case studies on how intelligent dietary practices can positively alter our health and performance as well as looking better in our underwear.

The book looks good but the beauty lies in the pages of information that Ashley includes here.  I would not hesitate to put Sweet Potato Power in your library but don’t forget to bring it to the kitchen.

Do one thing every day that scares you.Eleanor Roosevelt

A big part of what we do in our practice is to push folks out of their comfort zone.  Very little positive occurs when you just go with the flow.  We strive to make the exercise experience challenging physically but also mentally.  Improvements and growth only occur with pressure.  Set the bar high.. BE better.  Here are some suggestions to improve, grow or get outside your comfort zone in 2012.

1. Wear A Rubber Band and Snap it ! ~ This is a practice advocated by sport psychologist Jack Singer.  Dr. Singer was ask to work with a college quarterback.  It seems that the quarterback who was otherwise perfect, had a nasty habit of letting negative thoughts and pressure get to him during games.  After conversing with the youngster, Dr. Singer discovered that the player was sliding into a pattern of negative thinking when the game got close.  Together they created a way to change the course of his thinking.  Dr. Singer placed a rubber band on the players wrist and whenever a negative (self defeating) thought pattern started to drift into his mind he would snap the band on his wrist and start to visualize positive images of what he wanted to have happen.  Problem solved!   So next time you are about to down a bottle of wine when you should have a glass or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s at the end of the evening just snap it ! I’ll even provide the rubber band.

2. 30 Days of eliminate ~ I used to be from the school of subtle change..be gradual. Two years ago I did a 180.  Subtle didn’t work so I adopted the all in total immersion approach.  If you need to clean up your act take a 30 day pledge to change.  A few ideas include, no alcohol, no grains, no dairy (or all of the these) 30 days of workout, 30 days of 8 hours of sleep.  The list goes on.  If you really want over site and results you should join our PR12 program. Best hurry ! The winter addition begins next week.

3. Sign Up, Register, Enroll~ Some of the best leverage you can have over your training and lifestyle behavior is to pay the entry for a competitive event.  Paying the money to participate in anything from a benefit walk to a Tough Mudder will keep you on track with your training program.  Remember to tell your 5,000 best friends on Facebook too.  They will hold your accountable. We have a schedule of events that we will be supporting.  Plan on attending our kick off gathering on 1/18/2011 to learn how our methods can get you event ready on less effort !

4. Brain Trainer ~ Your brain like muscle needs to be stressed.  Reading, doing crossword puzzle and dedicated brain trainer exercises is critical to neural function. Daily brain training can strengthen willpower and promote healthy lifestyle choices. A University of Amsterdam study found that problem drinkers who followed challenging cognitive training regimens drank less than a control group who did only the easiest regimens. Morever, improvements endured one month later.Two on line options I like are My Brain Trainer and Lumosity.

5. Work on your balance ~ In assisted living communities they like to monitor the aging process with balance assessments.  A decline in balance equates to rapid aging. With that in mind each day perform a mundane task while standing on a single leg.  Brush your teeth or unload the dishwasher while standing on one leg.  If this becomes boring find a firm pillow to stand on and do the same.  Ever wonder why we perform so many single leg moves?  Well now you know.

6. Walk when you could ride or drive ~ N.E.P.A. stands for non exercise physical activity.  This is the non schedule exercise you get from parking further from the front door, the office entrance or the designed walk to the market instead of driving the grocery getter.  Adding these extra measures can add up quickly to improved health and opportunities to get some sunshine and vitamin D.  So next time your on the way home from the movies ask to be let out several blocks from home and hike on home.

7. Wednesday Benchmark~ Every Wednesday get out the measuring stick. This can be a weigh in, measuring the waist, charting food consumption, or a fitness yardstick like push ups.  This keeps you in check over the long haul.  Weight is NOT a great metric and BMI is an even worse idea.  The point is to keep 1 pound change a one pound change and not wake up in 12 months 15 pounds out of range.  If you really are bold you can get a Twitter account and tweet your weight.  Got questions just ask me.

8. Dump 4 Pints ~ When you donate blood it’s a double win.  You save a life and you rid yourself of old blood.   Some evidence points to the positive benefit of donating to reduce toxic build up and accumulation of minerals. So in 2012 donate once a quarter

9. One Sentence Journal ~ I taking this one from Happiness Project author Gretchen Rubins.  Everyday write one sentence on why you are grateful for today.   Prepare to be surprised.

10. Mess-O-Greens ~ While I’ve been accused of being a low carb Nazi ~ thank you.  I am in fact a vegetable advocate.  I typically eat one meal each day that includes a large vegetable serving. My favorite is a tossed salad.  I look to include red, orange, yellow and green matter in my salad.  (ROY Green) I toss it with olive oil and it’s good to go.  Eat a mess-o-greens like me and feel the benefits.

11. Get Lab Work ~ Unless you have a specific issue, when you go to your GP he/she is going to focus on your blood lipids for the most part.  I suggesting that you also start monitoring more.  Look at hormones as well.  You may get some push back if you ask for it from your physician.  If you don’t want to deal with your GP you can purchase lab work al a carte from Privatemdlabs.com ( Reading the results is a different thing but reference ranges will be provided with your results) Once you have the results plug them into a spreadsheet and plan to look at them again at five year intervals. (I have a strong concern for the future of the homo sapnien male but that is a post for another time.)

There you have it.  Ten things to push you out of your comfort zone now get you list organized.

Tammy Pottenger is a terrific success story, an athlete who has seen remarkable results from the combination of the Bootcamp Fitness programming and a solid Paleo diet. Here is her story:

I started organized athletics as a 7th grader in junior high at Lake of the Ozarks. I played volleyball and ran track each year. I stopped basketball after 10th grade. In college I played volleyball at the University of Tulsa.

I never considered myself a “runner” and certainly not a long distance runner till after I graduated from college in 1990. For about 8 or 9 years, I really just did running and no cross training. I was in the midst of having three children and it was the easiest and most efficient way for me to get a work out in that I believed was the best thing for me.

After an ACL repair in 1998, I started to work outs with weights for the first time more consistently. I bumped along with a smattering of treadmill work, aerobics, stair climbers, circuits, personal training etc… until the fall of 2008.

I had run my first marathon several months before with a time of 3:41. I had qualified for Boston and was hooked on running. I did not buy into Bootcamp Fitness at first, but I was also going 2 to 3 days a week, which makes it more difficult to see results in a shorter period. I ran a second marathon at this time in Chicago. It was hot and miserable. I ran a 3:57, my goal had been a 3:35.

In January of 2009, I committed to Bootcamp Fitness five days a week and cut my running back during the week to prepare for the Boston Marathon in April of 2009.  I changed my diet to a near paleo regime and and had integrated the functional cross training of boot camp.  I ended up setting a personal record of 3:33 at Boston and felt amazing.

Two years later, I run less, but when I want to can put in 10 miles of running on a moments’ notice at a decent pace. However, I don’t believe that folks that only run can cross over and do the Crossfit workouts that I put in on a daily basis.

My core to extremity strength and flexibility has increased a great deal. For example, completing 100 pull-ups or 100 push-ups in a short interval of time used to seem daunting. Now it is just what I do.

Thanks for sharing, Tammy.

If other Bootcamp Fitness folks would like to share their achievement stories with us, please feel free!

I

Sarah Fragoso~ Walks Her Talk

I received an advanced copy of Sarah Fragoso’s EVERYDAY PALEO. I typically don’t have time for book review’s but Sarah’s book is really good.  Here are ten reason’s why I recommend Sarah’s work and why you need a copy.

1. She learned from two of the best Paleo lifestyle advocates on the planet.  They don’t get a lot better or more knowledgeable than Robb & Nicki. That goes a long way.

2. She came from the dark side.  She was out of shape and pulled herself from the depths of unhealthy and unfit to fit and healthy. There is no substitute for experience and going from unsuccessful to successful teaches you so much more.

3. She converted her family.  This is WAY underrated.  In her book she provides excellent strategies on  how to integrate a Paleo lifestyle with your spouse and children.  How unique.

4. Her charts are colorful and easy to ready.  So many other books are black on black.  Sarah’s book has color and outstanding photos of the meals.

5.  The recipes are outstanding and easy to execute. She has them color coded for morons like me.  (I’m a minimalist cook.) Sarah’s foods are so easy to plan and prepare. I prepared some today and they are simple.  If I can do it then anyone can.

6. She spends time talking about SLEEP.  Lord knows we need to spend more time on that topic.

7. Her husband is jacked and her children are cute.

8. She has a 30 day meal plan provided.  No more excuses!  I like to tell folks to write down what they are suppose to eat and then eat that!  Sarah has a plan I can now handover to the excuses crowd.

9. She provided a fitness section with excellent illustrations.  If there is anything I can nitpick with with accuarcy it’s workout plans.  Sarah has built in progressions that takes you from the beginner stage and beyond.

10. Her Kids’ Fitness / Family Fitness section is impressive.  This was a real surprise and excellent part of the book.

The book releases on April 25th, 2011.  You should get your advanced copy today.

I recently found a drive with a number of old newsletters.  When I started my group training effort in 2001, I attempted to distribute relavant information on a once or twice monthly basis. This was an original BOOT CAMP FITNESS Newsletters that ran in 2004.

Over the past 30 days I have had the occasion to run into some former students.  While I pride myself on a high success rate, these two individuals are pulling down my statistics!  Both of these students failed miserably under my tutelage.

In my early years I took student failure very personally.  It had to be my fault.  I knew how to go from A to B.  I just didn’t communicate the recipe successfully.

After years of seasoning, I realized that in several cases it was not my fault.  Certain folks are simply not coachable.  They talk a good game about improvements or change but they are simply not committed to the coaching process.

Are you coachable?  Do you have the commitment it takes to maximum your coaching experience? The quiz below developed by Robert Kiyosaki  will shed some light on your potential for accepting coaching.  If you fail this test you might need to retrench before investing in the coaching process.

Answer “yes” or “no” to these 10 statements if you’re thinking about getting a coach:

1. I am willing to make the coaching process an investment in myself. I view it as a long-term approach to creating changes in my life. I am not looking for a quick fix.
2. I am ready to do the work necessary to get me where I want to be, and I will let the coach do the coaching.
3. I am willing to change any self-defeating behaviors that are creating a barrier to my success.
4. I accept responsibility for my actions and will not expect the coach to “fix” me, because I know I’m the only one who can make it happen.
5. I have adequate funds to pay for coaching and will not regret the investment. I view coaching as a worthwhile investment in me, not an expense, and I will not allow finances to be a barrier to coaching.
6. I am willing and able to be completely truthful with my coach, and I’m ready to hear the truth from my coach even if it is uncomfortable at first.
7. Coaching is the appropriate process for the changes I want to make.
8. I am able to commit the time needed to make and keep scheduled coaching sessions and to do the field work that my coach asks of me.
9. I’m open to trying new things when my coach asks me, even if they aren’t completely comfortable or I’m not convinced they will make a difference.
10. This is the right time in my life for me to accept coaching.

Now score yourself:  If you answered “no” to two or more questions, you will need to make some adjustments, either in your lifestyle or in your expectations of coaching, before coaching will be fully effective.

I tell my friends that I am addicted to Boot camp Fitness/CrossFit Kanas City- that is the only way I can explain to them why I get up at 4:30 AM for 5 days a week to go work out.  I LOVE IT! Boot Camp Fitness / CrossFit Kansas City is too general for the program that Coach Rut does. I have done several other boot camps but none can compare to this.

I am 42 years old and I am certainly in better shape now than when I was in my 30′s and probably even when I was playing competitive sports. I grew up playing competitive soccer and continued to play in college and after. Many years and 3 kids later my body simply did not respond to my old traditional ways of working out and getting in shape. If I put on weight I could always go run or go to the gym and quickly maintain my body weight.

Something happens to women after they turn 40 and that becomes harder. I had set personal goals to keep in shape, I always felt like if I had something to work towards it would keep me going, I have run a marathon and done 2 triathalons but still even after the last triathalon (2008) I worked very hard but I still did not lose weight or feel like my body was in shape. At 5’6″ my weight usually hovered between 130 and 135 which I was ok with- I could eat what I wanted and maintain this but I was not happy with how my body looked, how my clothes fit. I worked out all the time but never could lose weight. Then my weight started creeping up- I was not able to even maintain that weight anymore. I didn’t even want to weigh myself because I knew it would be bad.

Finally when I went to the doctor (and you have to get on the scale) the scale read 147 that was a huge shock!I felt like this was now out of my control so what did I do? I went promptly to the plastic surgeon to see about liposuction……there were many excuses (of course all were not related to myself and my actions).I can’t lose weight, I don’t know why, blah, blah, blah. The only thing that kept me from doing it was the fact that I could not afford $6,000.

In March 2010, I was down at the sprint center watching KU basketball and ran into a former soccer teammate from high school, we chatted and she and another friend were talking about this Boot Camp Fitness /CrossFit Kansas City, thing they were doing and how they loved it. So I decided to give it a try.

I started at 3 days a week for 3 months. After the first month I saw some results, really enjoyed the workouts, they were challenging, different and I felt like my whole body was getting worked out. I wanted quicker results so I jumped up to 5 days a week and then was hearing people talk about the Paleo diet. The summer Paleo challenge came up and I decided to try that out. That is when things really started to change for me, I could see my body changing and pretty quickly too.

As I was doing push ups one morning- Coach Rut pointed out that he could see my tricep muscle- I hadn’t noticed but there it was! I have lost 15 pounds and gone from a size 10 to size 6 in jeans. The workouts in combination with the Paleo diet is very powerful.

I used to take probably 4 Tylenol a day for headaches, I do not get headaches at all any more. No hunger swings either. Do not even crave or miss sugar or dairy products- in fact I was being treated for irritable bowel before trying paleo and cutting out dairy (or other things) has eliminated that for me as well.

My 16 year old daughter has noticed my transformation and is asking me now about what I am eating and is curious about how different foods affect your body. Both of my sons 14 and 10 have stopped drinking soda (voluntarily) and are making better food choices, just based on watching me make different food choices.

I guess if you are going to be addicted to something Rut’s Boot Camp / CrossFit program and the Paleo diet are probably good things to be addicted to. I am working towards still getting stronger – as a soccer player upper body strength was never my strong point and I am working towards moving up to the advanced class. Thanks Rut for helping me take control of my actions and therefore taking control of the way I eat, exercise and live my life. Oh yeah and saving me $6,000!

Karen Pritchard

This is the snout of my 11 year old Airedale named Kelly.  Since birth she has displayed a litany of unattractive traits.  Seizures that would wake the dead, hip dysplasia and vitiligo (see above).

Kelly’s mother took her to every veterinarian this side of St. Louis.  They placed her on a number of pharmaceuticals in an effort to reduce and curtail her seizures.  The load was so much on little Kelly that she spent the majority of the daylight hours asleep and her nighttime hours having seizures.  Nobody was sleeping much.  The vets suggested that we consider euthanizing her.

When push came to shove nobody could pull the trigger.  So, in a final effort we researched a number of the better offerings in the world of pet nutrition.  We switched foods, upped her workouts (more walking) and tossed in a little 5-HTP.  Improvements followed!  Her seizures reduced by 60% and she actually began acting like a terrier again.

Last Spring, I made one final upgrade on her treatment.  I put both mutts on a gluten free diet.  The food they had been eating was very good, but was not gluten free.  Since that time Kelly has continued to improve and has had even fewer seizures than following protocol #1.

Last week I took a detailed looked at Kelly’s nose.  To my amazement, I noticed that the pigment on her nose was returning.  The nose above has 80% more pigment than 1 year ago at this time.  Her 2009 snout resembled that of Arnold Ziffel more than an Airedale terrier.

So what’s the point of this dog story?  It’s as simple as this.  Eliminate gluten from your world, your kids world and your pet’s world.  Amazing things can happen.